CALCITE. ...

Description

CALCITE
Basalt Quarry, Ambariomiambana, Sambava Departement., Sava, (North-Eastern) Region, Ansiranana Province, Madagascar
Madagascar is a veritable treasure house of gems and minerals. With the exception of Diamonds, all of the other major gems are found there. So it's no surprise that the Calcite from this island may be special as well. This honey colored Calcite was mined from a Basalt quarry presumably operated for "road metal" as the crushed gravel used for road base is called. When the workers discovered shiny crystals in cavities, their cultural familiarity with mineral specimens kicked in and inquiries regarding potential value were made. This specimen has been held back by the miners since 2004. Besides the attractive and transparent color, the specimen exhibits an unusual form of twinning: something Calcite is famous for. Since the host rock is a volcanic one, it comes as no surprise that there are well crystallized and colorless Stilbite laths associated with the Calcite. A white area in the center seems to be either "contact" or where a Stilbite used to be. Condition otherwise is excellent, and the luster is glassy. With a custom labeled base, the sizable specimen measures a considerable 7 x 7 x 5 inches.

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